Steering wheel locking device for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing full steering manipulation of the steering wheel of an automobile comprising, a padlock for locking engagement around either the ring or spoke portion of the steering wheel and a chain connecting between the padlock and a tubular member which is adapted to be received through a hole in the dashboard and latched therein in a manner so as to prevent removal thereof from the outer side of the dashboard.

United States Patent my Mestre [111 3,722,239 [451. Mar. 27, 1973STEERING WHEEL LOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES v Inventorz, FranciscoMestre, 1834 S.W. 27th Avenue, Miami, Fla. 33145 Filed: Oct. 7, 1971Appl. No.: 187,443

US. Cl. ..70/2l2, 70/58, 248/27,

248/220.5, 285/191, 287/20 R IntQCI. ..B60r 25/02, E05b 73/00 Field ofSearch ..70/18, 53, 209, 212; 85/80;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,582 7/191 1 Lucas..285/l91 2,152,565 3/1939 Peterson... 2,421,015 5/1947 Davidson..285/l9l 2,999,663 9/1951 Anderson ..248/220.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 10,046 1893 Great Britain "248/2205Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-John Cyril Malloy [57]ABSTRACT A device for preventing full steering manipulation of v thesteering wheel of an automobile comprising, a padlock for lockingengagement around either the ring or spoke portion of the steering wheeland a chain connecting between the padlock and a tubular member which isadapted to be received through a hole in the dashboard and latchedtherein in a manner 'so as to prevent removal thereof from the outerside of the dashboard.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures STEERING WHEEL LOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES IBACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION wheel of the vehicle and a controlpedal, such as the accelerator, or between the steering wheel and thesteering wheel column or the hand brake.

Another approach to preventing turning of the steering wheel was to locka complete covering means about the steering wheel.

Most of these devices are quite complicated and are expensive tomanufacture and provide a storage problem when not in use. In addition,some are quite time consuming to apply each time the car is leftunoccupied.

A great number of the car thefts are perpetrated by young people whosimply borrow a car for a joy ride and then abandon it a short timelater. Such thefts generally occur on a spur of the moment decision bythe thieves or, if planned in advance, the thieves look for a car inwhich they can make a quick get-a-way.

The device of the present invention provides a simple and inexpensivemeans to prevent the theft of a car and which presents no storageproblem whennot in use. A padlock is provided which can be locked aroundthe ring or spoke of the steering wheel and a chain connects between thepadlock and a tubular member which is latched within a hole in thedashboard of the car. When not in use, the hasp of the lock is engagedthrough a hole, provided in -a lug on the tubular member, and is alwaysin reach for a rapid application to the steering wheel after parking thecar.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION One of the principalobjects of the present invention is to provide a simple means to lockthe steering wheel of a car against full rotation and which requires aminimum amount of time to engage with or disengage from said steeringwheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a key operated padlockwhich is chain connected to a tubular means which is latched in a holein the dashboard of an automobile.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide a hole in alug, extending outwardly from the tubu- 2 BRIEF DESCRIP'IION OF THEDRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the steering wheeland dashboard of an automobile with the lar means, to receive the haspof the padlock when not in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring loaded latchmeans, within the tubular member, which i steering wheel locking deviceof the present invention extending therebetween;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through thetubular member, attached to the dashboard of an automobile and a keyoperated padlock attached thereto by means of a chain;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view, from the inside of the dashboard, ofthe tubular member and the internal latching means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS padlock 16, illustrated in lockedengagement about the ring portion 18 of a steering wheel 12, a tubularmember 20 latched to the dashboard 14, and a chain 22 fixed between thepadlock 16 and the tubular member 20. The padlock 16 may be of anyconventional form including a casing 24 and a hasp 26, operable betweenlocked and unlocked positions by a conventional key means 28. The claim22'may be fixed atone end 29 to an ear'30, formed integral with the hasp26, or may include an end link which is engageable by the hasp 26 tohold said end when the hasp 26 is in a locked position.

The opposed end 32 of the chain 22 is fixed through an aperture 34 in alug 36, extending outwardly from the tubular member 20. A secondaperture 38 is provided in the lug 36 to receive the hasp 26 of thepadlock 16 when said padlock is not in use. In other words, the padlockis suspended from the lug 36 for storage while the automobile is inoperation.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the tubular member 20 provides an innerannular chamber 40 having an open end 42, extending through an aperture44 in the dashboard 14, and a closed end 46, formed integral with thelug 36. A generally V-shaped latch assembly 47 is provided within thechamber 40 which includes a pair of outwardly diverging legs 48 and 50,extending from a point of pivotal attachment to a pin 51 at the apex 52to respective latch arms 53 and 54 at the outer distal ends thereof. Thelatch arms 53 and 54 extend in opposed directions, through respectiveapertures 55 and 56 in the annular wall of the tubular member 20,adjacent the inner open end 42, and overlie the inner surface 57 of thedashboard 14.

A compression spring 58 extends between the open outer ends of the legs48 and 50 to maintain the latch In installation, an appropriately sizedand shaped aperture 44 is provided in the dashboard 14 and the nut 66isrun back on the screw threads 64 of the tubular member 20. Theoutwardly diverging legs 48 and 50 are pivoted toward each other againstthe forces of the compression spring 58 by manually engaging the opposedbeveled ends 60 and 62 of the latch arms 53 and 54 and the inner openend 42 of the tubular member and the latch arms 53 and 54 are insertedthrough the aperture 44 whereupon the latch arms 53 and 54 are movedinto engagement with the inner surface 56 of the dashboard 14, onopposed sides of the aperture 44, by the compression forces of thespring58. The nut 66 is then tightened to firmly engage the dashboard 14between the latch arms 53 and 54 and the washer 68.

The padlock 16, connected to the lug 36 by the chain 22, may then besuspended through the aperture 38 or placed in locking engagement aboutthe ring portion 18 or a spoke 72 of the steering wheel 12.

What is claimed is:

1. A steering wheel locking device for vehicles hav- 'ing a steeringwheel and a dashboard comprising, a

chain having a first and a second'end, lock means attached to said firstend for locking engagement with the steering wheel, a tubular memberhaving a closed outer end attached to said second end and an open innerend extending through an appropriate aperture in the dashboard;depressible spring loaded latch means carried by said tubular membertoengage the inner surface of the dashboard and nut means threadablyengaged on said tubular member, engageable against the outer surface ofthe dashboard.

2. A steering wheel locking device as defined in claim 1 including anoutwardly extending lug formed integral with said closed end andincluding two through holes, the first of which comprises the attachmentmeans for said second chain end.

3. A steering wheel locking device as defined in claim 1 in which saiddepressible spring loaded latch means comprises a pair of spring loadedlegs within said tubular member, normally diverging outwardly from apoint of pivotal attachment to a pivot pin, each of said legs includinga latch arm angled outwardly through an aperture in the wall of saidtubular member, in opposed directions, to overlie the inner surface ofthe dashboard, said pair of legs being depressible against said sprinloadin toward each other to provide for passage of said tubular memberand latch means through said dashboard aperture.

4. A steering wheel locking device as defined in claim 1 including awasher interposed between said nut means and inner surface.

5. A steering wheel locking device as defined in claim 2 in which saidlock means comprises a key operated padlock including a casing, and ahasp for locking engagement about the ring or a spoke of the steeringwheel.

6. A steering wheel locking device as defined in claim 5 in which thesecond of said through holes in said lug is sized to receive the hasp ofsaid padlock.

1. A steering wheel lockinG device for vehicles having a steering wheeland a dashboard comprising, a chain having a first and a second end,lock means attached to said first end for locking engagement with thesteering wheel, a tubular member having a closed outer end attached tosaid second end and an open inner end extending through an appropriateaperture in the dashboard; depressible spring loaded latch means carriedby said tubular member to engage the inner surface of the dashboard andnut means threadably engaged on said tubular member, engageable againstthe outer surface of the dashboard.
 2. A steering wheel locking deviceas defined in claim 1 including an outwardly extending lug formedintegral with said closed end and including two through holes, the firstof which comprises the attachment means for said second chain end.
 3. Asteering wheel locking device as defined in claim 1 in which saiddepressible spring loaded latch means comprises a pair of spring loadedlegs within said tubular member, normally diverging outwardly from apoint of pivotal attachment to a pivot pin, each of said legs includinga latch arm angled outwardly through an aperture in the wall of saidtubular member, in opposed directions, to overlie the inner surface ofthe dashboard, said pair of legs being depressible against said springloading toward each other to provide for passage of said tubular memberand latch means through said dashboard aperture.
 4. A steering wheellocking device as defined in claim 1 including a washer interposedbetween said nut means and inner surface.
 5. A steering wheel lockingdevice as defined in claim 2 in which said lock means comprises a keyoperated padlock including a casing, and a hasp for locking engagementabout the ring or a spoke of the steering wheel.
 6. A steering wheellocking device as defined in claim 5 in which the second of said throughholes in said lug is sized to receive the hasp of said padlock.